THE PEAR INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH AFRICA: PRODUCTION, TRADE AND CULTIVARS

Pears are a minor fruit crop in each of the three countries representing 6% of fruit production in Australia, 4.5% in New Zealand and 6% in South Africa.
Planted area has remained relatively static for the past 10 years in Australia, increasing by only 9%. New Zealand has had a moderate increase of 22%, whereas in South Africa there has been a substantial increase by over 40% from 9,000 to 13,000 hectares planted area.
Production in Australia has not increased over the last 10 years, however both New Zealand and South Africa have shown increases of 50%. Orchards tend to be old and a significant part of production in each country is of ‘Williams Bon Cretien’ (syn. ‘Williams’ and ‘Bartlett’) used in processing. ‘Packham’s Triumph’ has remained the main fresh export variety in South Africa and Australia, although in New Zealand it has been almost completely removed.
Interest has been in planting red or red blush cultivars such as ‘Corella’ and ‘Sensation Red Bartlett’ in Australia, ‘Forelle’, ‘Rosemarie’ and ‘Flamingo’ in South Africa.
In New Zealand, ‘Doyenné du Comice’ and its russet sport ‘Taylor’s Gold’, have been the most favoured in the new plantings.
All three countries are net exporters of pears with Australia and New Zealand importing only low volumes in the off-season to cover the spring selling season.
Exports are mostly to North American and European Markets.

VIII International Symposium on Pear

A.G. White, K.I. Theron, J. Purbrick

Pyrus spp. export, import

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.596.9